Freelance Hack
Active Member
Perhaps the saddest play in baseball's history marks its 100th anniversary today.
Fred Merkle, then a teenage first baseman for the New York Giants, hits a single in the bottom of the 9th in a pennant race game with the Cubs. His hit put runners at the corners with two out. The next guy singles and fans rush the field. But Merkle runs away from the stampeding crowd. In the mass confusion on the field, Merkle goes to touch second. The Cubs also try to get the ball to second for the inning-ending force out. It's not until hours later that the umpires rule Merkle was out and rule the game a 1-1 tie.
Cubs and Giants would eventually need to replay the game for the pennant, with the Cubbies winning that game. Merkle goes on to have a decent career, but the play hangs over him for the rest of his life.
Here's a fuller description of what happened, thanks to Baseball Reference:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Merkle%27s_Boner
Fred Merkle, then a teenage first baseman for the New York Giants, hits a single in the bottom of the 9th in a pennant race game with the Cubs. His hit put runners at the corners with two out. The next guy singles and fans rush the field. But Merkle runs away from the stampeding crowd. In the mass confusion on the field, Merkle goes to touch second. The Cubs also try to get the ball to second for the inning-ending force out. It's not until hours later that the umpires rule Merkle was out and rule the game a 1-1 tie.
Cubs and Giants would eventually need to replay the game for the pennant, with the Cubbies winning that game. Merkle goes on to have a decent career, but the play hangs over him for the rest of his life.
Here's a fuller description of what happened, thanks to Baseball Reference:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/bullpen/Merkle%27s_Boner
